Car-coupling



(No Model.

H. LIPPMANN.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 592,957. Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

/ :L w'uw. "ll lilll I I" I1 will UNITE STATES PATENT rricn.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,957, dated November 2, 1897.

Application filed April 24, 1897- Serial No. 633,754. (No model.)

To all whom it may cfinoern:

Beit known that I, GUSTAV HERMANN LIPP- MANN, a citizen of Germany, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplings, these improvements having been made upon the type of coupling known as the J anney type.

The objects of my invention have been to provide a car-coupling of the J anney type in which the knuckle shall be automatically locked by a gravity-latch, said latch being actuated by an auxiliary weight, which shall serve to increase both the force and rapidity with which the locking is effected and to more effectually hold the latch in its position when desired to unlock the coupling; to devise one, further, in which the, coupling when locked shall be effectively protected against unlocking by unauthorized persons; one in which the cars may be secured together by auxiliary means should the coupling break, and, further, to provide means for coupling with a link-and-pin coupling when desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of an improved coupling provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same with the knuckle open. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective View of the latch. Fig. 5 is a similar View of the knuckle. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the sliding bolt. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the key for unlocking the coupling. Figs. 8 and 9 aredetail views, and Fig. 10 is a modification.

In detail, 1 represents the draw-bar, and 2 the draw-head, in the latter being pivoted the knuckle-joint 3 by means of the pivot-- pin 4. The tongue 5 of said knuckle is provided on its front side with a squared surface 6 to engage the. side of the horizontalswinging latch 7 and hold the knuckle in its locked position, the rear side of said tongue being beveled on the top, as shown at 8, to engage the corresponding bevel 9 on the latch to rock the latch backward 011 its horizontal shaft and so permit the tongue to pass into its locked position. Said rock-shaft 11 of said latch is provided on one side with a handle whereby it can be rocked backward to unlock said knuckle, and on the same side of the draw head said rock-shaft carries a lever 12, fixedly secured thereto, on the end of V which lever swings,as on a pivot, the arm 13, carrying at its end a weight 14. The function of said weight coupling may be protected against uncoupling by unauthorized persons.

Said means comprise a slide-bolt '15, sliding transversely across the face of the draw-head above the 'path of the tongue of the knuckle on a bar 16, being actuated by a spring 17, interposed between said bolt and the adjacent inner side of the draw-head. Said bolt is configured to have on its rear side a shoulder 18, which when the bolt is thrust forward by said spring comes behind a laterally-projecting shoulder 19 on said latch, thereby preventing the latch from being moved rearwardly. In order to disengage said shoulders 18 and 19 from each other to release the latch, I provide a key 20, which is inserted through a suitable keyhole 21 in the top of the drawhead and onto an upright pin 22, revolubly secured in the slide 16, said key engaging suitable wards on the said pin '22 and wards 24 on the slide. pin it will readily be seen that the bolt 15 will be pushed back against the pressure of the spring and the shoulders 18 and 19 will be disengaged, so that the brakeman can rock the latch so as to elevate the latter and release the knuckle. In order to permit the insertion and withdrawal of the key,the front face of the latch is provided with a vertical recess 25 and a horizontal recess 26, in which latter the bit of the key can turn when the key has been inserted. The coupling can be still further protected by means of a cover By turning said key on its 27, pivoted on the draw-head and arranged to close said keyhole 21 and be secured by means of a padlock passed through the eyepin 26, which engages the slot in said cover.

In order to guard against the possibility of destruction of the latch 7 should it be 'attempted to couple the ears when said latch is held against withdrawal by means of the bolt, as has just been described, I provide on the tongue 5 on the knuckle a pin 29, said pin having a squared rear surface which when the knuckle is carried inwardly abuts against a similar squared surface 30, provided on the bolt 15, and causes the said bolt to slide backward and so release the latch, and in order to permit said knuckle to pass said bolt when the couplings are open said bolt is arranged to have a slight vertical movement on the slide 16, and the front face of the pin 29 is beveled, as shown at 31, to engage when uncoupling the corresponding bevel 32 at the back of the squared surface 30. As a modification of this construction I may also make the slide 16 vertically movable in the draw-head, being'carried by the vertical pins 33, pressed downward by springs 34, working in sockets 35 in the side of the draw-head.

In order to secure the knuckle against removal, I enlarge the lower end of the pivotpin, as shown at 36,- and in the upper end I pass a pin 37, which is swaged or enlarged at the inserted end and is provided with a hook at the other end.

It is very desirable that the cars should be secured together independently of the automatic coupling,so that should the latter break the cars would still be coupled, and for this purpose I provide a bar 38, which is adapted to be secured to the draw-bar independently of the automatic coupling, said bar carrying at each end chains carrying at their ends a link l0 and a hook 41. Said link and hook may be secured to a corresponding link and hook 011 the opposite car. The link 40 is loosely mounted on the rock-shaft 11, having longitudinal slots $2 in its sides, through which said rock-shaft passes, so that when coupling has been effected a resilient resistance to the pull between the cars is provided by means of the spring 43, interposed between the end of the link and a sliding piece 4- abutting against the rock-shaft and sliding between the inner faces of the sides of the link. \Vhen said rock-shaft is rocked, the operative end of the link is raised to free it from the opposite hook by means of an arm 46, loosely secured to the power end of the link, as shown at 7, and extending from and rigidly secured to a gear-wheel 48, mounted on a stud -19, extending from the draw-head, said wheel meshing with a gearwheel 50, rigidly secured to and rocking with the shaft. On the other end of the rock-shaft 11 is loosely mounted the hook 4:1, and to enable said hook to be lowered for disengagement from the opposite link said hook has an outwardly-extending portion 52, apertured, as at 50, and

through said aperture passes an arm 5 L, secured to the rock-shaft 11, and for holding said hook out of engagement with the opposite link, and in consequence also the link at the other end of the rock-shaft out of engagement with the opposite hook, I provide a ratchet-lever 5G, pivoted on the arm 54, having a tooth 57, engaging a notch 58 on the standard 59, secured on the draw-head.

In order to provide means for coupling with a link-and-pin coupling, the knuckle is recessed, as shown at 62, and carries therein a link 63, secured upon the pin (54, the latter having a curve or bend (35 to receive and hold the link, the upper side of the knuckle being slotted, as shown at 60, to permit said pin to pass therethrough.

I claim- 1. In a car-eouplin g, the combination, with the draw-bar and draw-head, of a knuckle horizontally swinging in said draw-head, a latch, a rock-shaft through said draw-head on which said latch vertically swings,,a lever carried at the end of said rock-shaft, an arm swinging on the end of said lever, and a weight carried at the end of said arm, substantially as described.

2. In a ear-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar and draw-head, of a knuckle horizontally swinging in said draw-head, a latch, a rock-shaft through said draw-head, 011 which said latch swings vertically to lock the opposite knuckle, a lever carried at the end of said rock-shaft, an arm swinging on the end of said lever and around said lever as an axis, and a weight carried at the end of said arm, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar and draw-head, of a knuckle horizontally swinging in the draw-head, a latch for the knuckle of the opposing coupling, a rock-shaft through said draw-head 011 which said latch swings vertically, and a spring-actuated bolt, arranged to move behind said latch, to hold the same in its looking position, the upper surface of the drawhead being apertured to permit the insertion of means for withdrawing said bolt from its operative position, substantially as d escribed.

.4. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar and draw-head, of a knuckle horizontally swinging in the draw-head, a latch for looking a similar knuckle in the opposing coupling, a rock-shaft through the draw-head on which said latch swings vertically, a spring-actuated bolt arranged to move behind said latch and secure the same in its locking position, a key for withdrawing said bolt from its operative position, and a ward in the interior of the draw-head cooperating with said key, the upper surface of the drawhead being suitably apertured to permit the insertion of said key, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar and the draw-head of a knuckle horizontally swinging on the draw-head, a

latch, a rock-shaft on which said latch swings vertically, a slide in the draw-head, a springactuated bolt moving on said slide, said bolt being arranged to move behind said latch to hold the same in its operative position, and a key for withdrawing said bolt, the surface of the draw-head having a suitable aperture to permit the insertion of said key, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar and draw-head, of a knuckle horizontally swinging in the draw-head, a latch and rock shaft on which said latch swings vertically, a slide arranged in the draw-head, a ward on said slide, a bolt moving on said slide, and arranged to hold the latch in its operative position, and a key for withdrawing said bolt, said key being conformed to said ward, the surface of the drawhead being suitably apertured to permit of the insertion of said key, substantially as described.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar and draw-head, of a knuckle horizontally swinging in the draw-head, a latch and horizontal rock-shaft therefor, a bolt for holding said latch in its operative position, means for withdrawing said bolt from the interior of the draw-head, and means, on the tongue of said knuckle, for momentarily withdrawing said bolt when the knuckle enters the draw-head,substantially as described.

8. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar and draw-head and the knuckle pivoted in the draw-head, of a bar arranged to be independently secured to the draw-bar, chains suspended from the ends of said bar, a link on the end of one chain, and a corresponding hook on the other end of the chain, whereby said cars may be coupled independently of the automatic coupling, substantially as described.

9. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar, draw-head and horizontallyswingingknuckle therein, of a latch and rockshaft through the draw-head on which said latch swings vertically, a bar secured to the draw-bar, chains suspended from the ends of said bar, a link at the end of one chain and a hook at the end of the other chain, said chains being supported at or near their free ends upon said rock-shaft, substantially as described.

10. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar, draw-head and knuckle of the J anney type pivoted therein, said knuckle having a recess centrally of its outer arm, vertically perforated above and below said recess, of a pin inserted through said perforations, said pin having a U-bend and the upper perforation being slotted to permit the passage of said bend,'and a link carried in the bendof said pin, substantially as described. 11. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, of a rock-shaft therethrough, a hook mounted on one end of said shaft, a link mounted on the other end, and operative connections between the shaft and the hook and link, whereby said hook is moved downward and said link simultaneously moved upward by the rocking of said shaft, substantially as described.

' 12. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, of a rock-shaft therethrough,

a link mounted on the shaft, a gear-wheel on the shaft, a second gear-wheel meshing with the former and connections between the said second gear-wheel and the link whereby an oscillation of the rock-shaft will cause a vertical vibration of the link, substantially as described.

13. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, of a rock-shaft therethrough, a hook on the draw-head, an arm engaging said hook to vibrate the same, a ratchet-lever on said arm and a notched standard engaging said ratchet-lever, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV HERMANN LIIPMANN.

Witnesses:

Orro KLUG, FRED TSCHIENTSCHY. 

